Netflix CEO supports net neutrality, calls out ISPs over transmission fees

Netflix Inc chief executive Reed Hastings has publicly supported net neutrality and urges for a drafting of rules that would hamper Internet service providers from taking what they called "transmission" fees for delivering shows over their networks. According to spokesman Jonathan Friedland for the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company, Hastings' thoughts on net neutrality were filed to the Federal Communications Commission. Newsday said Hasting's latest comments indicated Netflix's opinion to the fees it recently had agreed to pay.

Hastings wrote, "Without strong net neutrality, big ISPs can demand potentially escalating fees for the interconnection required to deliver high quality service. The big ISPs can make these demands -- driving up costs and prices for everyone else -- because of their market position. Comcast has been an industry leader in supporting weak net neutrality, and we hope they'll support strong net neutrality as well."

Should his suggestion on drafting rules preventing IPS to collect transmission fees, the Long Island paper said that it will save the company, which is currently the largest subscription-video service in the world millions of dollars annually. In February, Netflix had agreed to pay Comcast for more-direct connections to ensure that speed and reliability is improved for its video service, Newsday said.

Following the merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, talk about net neutrality has increased. The open and free Internet principle that ISPs and governments should have acknowledged is apparently open to interpretation by some companies. Comcast executive vice president David Cohen earlier said that entities and ultimately, people need to pay for what they wanted to get in terms of Internet traffic.

In an emailed statement, Cohen said, "Providers like Netflix have always paid for their interconnection to the Internet and have always had ample options to ensure that their customers receive an optimal performance through all ISPs at a fair price."

Tags

net neutrality, Netflix Inc, Comcast Corp, Comcast Time Warner merger, Internet transmission fees

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